


Warriors of the Eternal Sand

by kaskaskasleil



Category: The Legend of Zelda & Related Fandoms
Genre: Multi, ganondad
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-11-20
Updated: 2018-11-20
Packaged: 2019-08-26 07:33:21
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 2,674
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16677301
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/kaskaskasleil/pseuds/kaskaskasleil
Summary: Young Zelda and her twin brother Link have been living on their own for years, along with their friend Aryll. When a famine and dying forest life force them into the gerudo desert, they find themselves in a difficult situation. They are rescued by non other than the ruthless warriors of the desert themselves, the gerudo. They even get an offer to join the mysterious group of noble warriors. They accept, and Zelda finds herself training amongst the other gerudo youth. Her new life proves to much better than her old one. She and her siblings no longer have to fight every single day for survival, and they feel as though their lives finally have purpose. The security of their new life is not garunteed, however. Danger remains a prominent factor in their lives, some sources closer than they think. A rogue group of former gerudo lurk just beyond their old home,  and the hylians have become more and more aggressive ever since the famine. As if that wasn't enough to worry about, a prophecy of one destined to be a strong, powerful leader and save the gerudo race from the ever darkening shadows arises. Will Zelda figure out a way to save her newfound home?





	1. Chapter 1

Malaki sat against the cold stone wall of the healer's ward. Moonlight beamed through the small glass windows. It was well into the night, but Malaki would not be sleeping tonight. The battle with the Hylians had left several warriors severely wounded, and she wasn't quite sure they'd be alright all night without someone to watch over them. Her young apprentice Alia had fallen asleep over half an hour ago, and now lay beside Ashi, a jumpy young warrior apprentice who had taken a rather serious wound to the shoulder blades.

Malaki thought again of the Hylian warriors. They had become so fierce lately, constantly battling the other races, as though trying to prove the famine hadn't weakened them. She opened the door, stepping out into the cool night air, trying to take the current troubles off her mind. She stared down at the cool cracked earth under her feet and then back at the moon. The stars could be seen clearly in the desert, with no towering trees to block their light.

Malaki felt an usual coolness against only one of her sides, and was sure she felt a presence. She turned, and saw none other than her old mentor, Havva. She had died several years ago, during an intense drought. She looked younger and less stressed than she had before her death, as was the case of most after joining the sea of stars. She glowed faintly under the moonlight, the landscape behind showing through her.

"H-Havva?" Malaki asked in disbelief.

Had the former healer really came down from the sea of stars to visit her? Havva stared back at Malaki, focusing on her with her star-shaped pupils.

"Malaki." Her former mentor spoke.

"H-Havva, it's so great to see you, but what are doing here in the realm of the living? Have you a message to deliver?" Malaki questioned.

"You are a talented healer, Malaki. You have done the gerudo well as their sole healer for many seasons. I know you will train your own apprentice well, for the seasons to come." Havva ignored her former apprentice's question.

"Thank you." Malaki dipped her head.

"But," Havva continued, "There may not come many more seasons."

"What?" Malaki fixed her with a confused look. "What do you mean there may not come many more seasons?"

"Listen closely, Malaki. The shadows engulfing the desert only darken as the days past. The Hylians' lust for bloodshed grows stronger each time the sun rises. Traitors threaten to tear us apart. These are far from are nation's greatest days." Havva began.

"But we've faced plenty of trials as a nation throughout the years. The Hylians have always been eager for battle. We'll get through this, just have other trials." Malaki cut her off.

"No, Malaki. This is different. The end of ages shall soon unfold unless the destined one stops it." Havva finished.

"Destined one?" Malaki furrowed her eyebrows. "And what do you mean the end of ages?"

"Listen intently, Malaki. Forget not a word. Share it with your leader, if you must. There will come one, entering the desert from a far off place who is destined to lead. The destined one must halt the nearing end and restore peace to Hyrule." With that, Havva faded from Malaki's vision.

"Wait!" Malaki called, to no avail. "Don't go! Please..." Malaki processed everything Malaki had told her.

_End of eras? And who is this 'destined one'? I'll share it with Nafisa and Ganon. They are the leader and her successor, after all._

_s_ he padded over to a large clay brick building. She pulled open the stone door, and ascended the familiar stone staircase. She knocked at the door on the end of the left side of the hallway, and then at a door further to the right.

"Coming." Came a groan from the door to the right.

The door to the left opened immediately, and out stepped Nafisa, wise and powerful leader of the gerudo for countless seasons. The right door slowly creaked open, and Ganon slowly slid out, still dressed in his night clothes, eye lids drooping with exhaustion and long red hair a tangled mess. How typical of her childhood friends.

"Malaki...?" Ganon questioned tiredly. "What are you up for this late at night?"

"Come sit down stairs." Malaki instructed. "I have something I need to talk to you two about."

Nafisa rushed beside Malaki downstairs, her brother trailing behind them more slowly. She took her seat in one of the chairs in front of the fire, her two friends sitting on each side of her.

"Why did you need to speak to us this late at night? I have to get up really early you know." Ganon grumbled.

"Oh hush, brother." Nafisa retorted. "Malaki is a sensible woman. You know if she wakes up this late at night for something, it's important. Your precious beauty sleep will have to wait."

Nafisa turned to Malaki.

"What is it you must tell us, old friend?" She question.

Malaki sighed deeply, wondering how to tell her friends she had just been told the end of eras was approaching.

"I've just received a prophecy..." She went on to explain everything her former mentor had discussed with her.

Ganon's eyes we're now wide open in shock. Nafisa fixed her with a similar expression.

"So," Nafisa spoke at last. "Have you the slightest idea of who this 'destined one' could be? "

"Not the slightest." Malaki replied. "She said it would be an outsider to gerudo desert."

They all looked puzzled for a moment. Ganon spoke up after a pause.

"I do see the occasional Hylian traveler out here, but not so much since they started being all aggressive."

"We'll keep our eyes out for any travelers." Nafisa concluded.

"It won't do us any good, just to sit here all night." Ganon added. "We better get some rest. Our people need us strong."

"Agreed, brother." Nafisa replied. "Malaki, if our ancestors share anything more with you, please notify us immediately."

She headed back upstairs with a final glance at her friend.

"Will do." Malaki replied, walking back to the healer's ward.

She entered, finding all the wounded gerudo still in a deep state of sleep. Ashi let out a soft cry, rolling over and exposing her back. Her bandages had begun to soak through, Malaki realised. She removed them gently, grabbing some fresh skulata web bandages. She carefully squeezed some juice from a kiaj plant into her open wound to keep it clean.

She then laid a few lear leaves over it to numb the pain. Ashi rolled back over on her side. Malaki couldn't sit around thinking about the prophecy, she decided. Not with her duties as a healer.


	2. Chapter 1

Zelda blinked her eyes open sleepily. She could feel the cool, hard earth against her side. She nestled closer to her twin for warmth. Link rolled over, stretching.

 

"We oughta find something to eat while its still cool. And maybe a more sheltered place to sleep." Zelda suggested.

 

Last night, the three had merely slept on the hard ground between two large cactuses. Link sat up.

 

"It's strange how it's so cool here early in the morning or night, but it's so scorching in the day." Link commented.

 

"I know." Zelda replied to her brother. "It's nothing like our old home at all."

 

Zelda nudged Aryll, who yawned, rolling over onto her side and stretching. She opened her bright blue eyes.

 

"Is it morning?" She asked sleepily.

 

"Yep." Link confirmed. "Come on, we gotta find a more sheltered place before it gets too late. Don't wanna draw to much attention while the monsters are out. Or Gerudo."

 

Aryll pulled herself up, putting all her weight on her left foot. Zelda and Link followed, leaving behind their makeshift cactus shelter. They headed west, hoping to find a more sheltered place, or maybe even a fruit bearing tree. Aryll's right leg dragged behind her, kicking up dust. Years ago, when they were younger children, Zelda and her brother had stumbled upon Aryll lying in the middle of the road in a pool of blood, leg twisted at unnatural angle. The local healer had done everything he could for her, but her leg never quite healed right. She was also an orphan, and having no better place to go, decided to tag along with Link and Zelda. She had since become sort of a sibling to the two. Zelda enjoyed the cool morning air while she could, for she knew it wouldn't last long. It was their third morning in the vast desert, and she had begun to notice what time it started to get hot at, which wasn't too far away. The Hylians were currently experiencing an intense famine, even the forest had become less productive. The three had left their old home in hope of finding better living conditions in the desert, but so far hadn't been very lucky. They had barely eaten anything in the past few days, and Zelda felt a constant pang of hunger.

 

"I hope we don't run into any Gerudo." Aryll shuddered. "Who knows what they'd do to us."

 

"I do not want to think about that." Link replied.

 

"We should be fine, as long as we avoid walking around to much during the middle of the day." Zelda reassured.

 

They continued on, reaching a large open stretch of sand. Zelda spotted a long pillar of wood reaching into the sky. Excitement ran through her, hoping it might be a tree of some sort. She dashed over to it, followed by Link and Aryll. However, her heart stopped in her chest as she got a good look at it. It wasn't a tree at all. It was one of those lookouts monsters built. No sooner had she noticed that, they heard a low growling sound. Four Lizafos jumped from the lookout. She shared a glance with her twin, who held the same fearful expression. Aryll pressed herself up against Zelda shuddering.

 

"What are we gonna do?!" Zelda whispered to her brother.

 

"I don't know!" Link whispered back. "We don't have any weapons!"

 

"Are we gonna die?" Aryll asked frightfully.

 

Zelda wished she could reassure her friend, but truth be told she thought the same thing. The Lizafos circled them. One snarled, lowering it's large gecko-like head to Zelda. It swiftly slashed its large, sharp claws across her face spraying blood. She yelped, moving her hand to the cut as blood trickled down her face. It ran from across the bridge of her nose to her left cheek. Aryll gasped, and Link curled his hands into fists, looking at the Lizafos as though about to lunge at it. Zelda prayed to The goddesses her brother wouldn't do something that foolish. Another Lizafos stepped forward, lashing its long tail against Link's leg. It broke the skin, causing blood to trickle from his leg. Zelda barely had time to react before another Lizafos lunged at Aryll, fangs bared. Zelda quickly jumped in front of her friend. The Lizafos sank its fangs deep into the flesh of Zelda's arm. She groaned in pain as it began to shake its head, teeth digging deeper into her arm and ripping her flesh.

 

"Let go of her!" Link cried, charging at it, kicking it in the head causing it to release its hold on Zelda.

 

It ripped loose a large piece of her arm as it fell back. Zelda panted, her arm searing with pain. She examined the wound. It spanned the length of her entire forearm, the widest part about two inches long, and running an inch deep into her flesh. Blood flowed freely out of the cut. The wound was starting to foam up, Zelda realized, when she was hit with a realization.

 

 _The bite of a Lizafos!_ She remembered. _It's venomous, isn't it?_

 

A white froth spilled out of the wound, confirming her suspicions. Her arm had become discolored around her wound, the shade of violet quickly spreading across her arm. Aryll and Link stared at it in horror. A Lizafos lunged at aryll from behind, digging it claws deep into her shoulders. She let out a sharp cry of pain, before the Lizafos that had bitten Zelda drove its sharp claws into Aryll's bad leg. Another Lizafos scraped its claws against Link's side. Zelda's vision spun, the venom starting to take affect.

 

 _We're going to die._ Zelda thought as the Lizafos closed in on them. _Right here, right now._

 

She caught sight of three dark skinned, red haired figures rushing towards them. As they got closer Zelda could make out more detail. There were two tall amber-eyed women with their long red hair pulled back. There was a man, much larger than his two counterparts, with a long, wild mane of red hair reaching his waist. They were Gerudo, Zelda realized, with a pang of dread.

 

Her two companions pressed closer to her.

 

_Great, as if our situation couldn't be any worse._

 

The three Gerudo stopped in front of the circle of Lizafos, leaping off of their horses. Zelda got a good look at them. One woman wore a seafoam green skirt and short top, that left her belly exposed. She wore a mask over her nose and mouth, matching her outfit. The other wore a similar outfit, but instead it was pink and without a mask.

 

Her eyes widened as she got a look at the male Gerudo. He was well over eight feet tall, and had a very muscular frame. He wore a simple pair of shorts. Many scars covered his body, the most prominent being an x shaped scar across his face. He drew out a huge sword, causing Zelda and her two friends to flinch.

 

Aryll shuddered even more, tears streaming down her face. The male Gerudo flung his sword at two Lizafos, the sword slicing through both of them as though they were but twigs, blood flying through the air. The other two Gerudo pulled out their weapons, a sharp Lizal spear and a long, sharp sword. The Gerudo with the mask drove her spear into the a Lizafos's back while her companion sliced its head off with her sword. Zelda felt a gleam of satisfaction, recognizing it as the Lizafos who had attacked her brother.

 

Only one Lizafos remained, the one who had bitten Zelda. It was larger than the other three, and covered in scars, the most noticeable being across his face. Zelda had wonder if he had been the leader of the other three, if Lizafos even had rulers. It stared at Zelda, then looked the male Gerudo straight into his furious amber eyes, before dashing across the desert, looking back at Zelda one last time with a look of contempt. The male Gerudo stepped over to the three children, and Zelda felt a renewed sense of fear.

 

His gaze no longer held fury, but she was still extremely intimidated by him, along with her two siblings. They were certainly in no condition to run, especially Aryll. She had heard stories from fellow Hylians about how brutal the Gerudo were, how they would rip trespassers apart. She closed her eyes tightly, waiting for him to slice her in half as he had the Lizafos. She opened her eyes after a few moments, surprised to still be alive, to see him knelt in front of them.

 

"Are you children alri-?" He gasped. "Did it bite you?!" He spoke in a deep, somewhat foreign voice.

 

The other two Gerudo examined her with a look of shock. Zelda looked back at her wound. Blood continued to pour out of it, and the color surrounding the bite had turned black, spreading to most of her arm. Zelda's vision began to darken, and she was having a hard time keeping her balance.

 

 _Why aren't they killing us?_ She wondered.

 

"No, child! you need to stay conscious! You can't rest yet!" The Gerudo instructed frantically.

 

The world around Zelda turned black as she fell against something soft yet firm.


End file.
